A system has been devised in which functions of applications which operate on a PC and functions of a multi-functional peripheral are associated with each other, so that the multi-functional peripheral is able to operate as a part of a total application system. By using the system, it is possible to perform uniform management of accounting functions including authentication/totalization by a server. Such a server is referred to as an authentication system in the below.
Conventionally, a default screen (copy screen, etc.) designated by the multi-functional peripheral has been displayed in an initial display screen after a user logged in a multi-functional peripheral. Alternatively, it was possible to display a screen used by a user at the time of logout as an initial display screen after completing authentication by using an authentication function incorporated in a multi-functional peripheral. Additionally, another system has been devised that is able to designate a screen used at the time of logout as an initial display screen after completing authentication by using an authentication server connected to the outside of a multi-functional peripheral.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2008-273126 discloses, for example, an image forming apparatus whose object is to improve user friendliness by preventing a situation where screen that is unfavorable to a user is firstly displayed. This image forming apparatus stores contents and a selection order according to a plurality of functions in association with each user, when each of a plurality of users sequentially selects a plurality of functions within a predetermined time after user authentication. Subsequently, when customized information of an applicable user is read out from a customized information storage portion, an initial display screen according to a function selected first (first order) among a plurality of functions is read out to be displayed on a touch panel portion. This makes it possible to provide an initial display screen appropriately customized for each user by considering a function selection order for each of a plurality of users, and as a result, it has been possible to improve user friendliness by preventing a situation where screen that is unfavorable to a user is displayed first.
Many functions are installed in a recent multi-functional peripheral, and many setting screens for setting these functions are present. Therefore, it is common to configure a setting screen of each function for a hierarchical structure. Here, some conventional multi-functional peripherals have a function that displays a screen displayed at the time of logout as an initial display screen when logging in again after a user logs out as mentioned above. In this case, there has been a case where a screen that positions in a deep hierarchy is not necessarily appropriate for displaying as an initial display screen. For example, when a user logs out in a state where a detailed setting screen of a scanner is displayed, in the case where the same user logs in next time, the detailed setting screen of a scanner is displayed, which has been inappropriate as a setting screen to be displayed as an initial display screen at the time of login.